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A little-noticed Senate bill passed this year allows firms seeking permits from the Environmental Protection Division to pay a premium so they get results faster. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce pushed for the bill, saying that authority was helpful to attract new jobs and industries to Georgia.

Gov. Nathan Deal touted the General Assembly’s 2012 legislative accomplishments at a talk Tuesday at the Atlanta Press Club. He credited bi-partisan cooperation for passing a tax cut bill and a sentencing rules overhaul.

Lobbyists spent almost $10,000 a day on gifts for Georgia lawmakers during the legislative session. An analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows lobbyists spent $866,747 on gifts for lawmakers between Jan. 1 and March 31.

Assisting in another person's suicide would be become a felony crime in Georgia punishable by up to a decade in prison under legislation passed Tuesday by the Senate. The legislation responds to a state Supreme Court ruling in February that struck down a 1994 law banning people from publicly advertising suicide.

The state Senate has approved a new funding system to support new charter schools in Georgia. The legislation approved Monday by a vote of 38-14 now heads back to the House for final approval. Voters will decide in November whether to change the Georgia Constitution so state officials can create new charter schools.

Abortion would be illegal in most cases five months after conception under a bill the Georgia Senate will consider this week. The Senate is expected to vote Monday on legislation from Republican state Rep. Doug McKillip that would cut down on the time women can legally seek an abortion in Georgia.

After months of debate, the proposal to overhaul Georgia's criminal justice system is headed to a vote in the state House, perhaps as early as Wednesday. The legislation, which aims to balance public safety with more cost-effective ways to deal with the state's non-violent offenders, quickly cleared the joint legislative panel on the issue on Tuesday.